early spring, year 02 — after life arena, old market district of eryndor
the banners of after life rippled above the arena dome.within, a thousand lights shimmered across the polished floor as nobles, students, and travelers crowded for the guild's first grand tournament — the "festival of skill."
for the crowd it was entertainment.for kain machiavelli, it was bait.
beneath the cheers, he could feel a pulse — a wrong rhythm in the mana flow, faint but familiar.the same vibration from the mirror gate, he thought.
selene moved beside him, wings folded neatly. "you're tense.""something's watching," he said quietly. "not someone — something."
1 – the festival begins
lumiel handled the stage with practiced grace, silver hair tied back, a ledger in one hand and microphone crystal in the other."welcome, honored guests! tonight after life unites all crafts — smiths, alchemists, duelists, and dreamers!"
his first wife, lady yoriko kitsunomi, stood near the VIP balcony. fox-fire pearls glowed around her neck, each containing stored mana for barrier control.she looked radiant, tails hidden under her gown, smile sharpened just enough to remind onlookers that a kitsune never appeared by accident.
next to her sat princess elariel starbloom, half elf and half dryad, her emerald-silver hair catching the lanterns' shimmer. gentle runes floated around her wrists — enchantment seals that protected the entire dome from collapse.
from the shadows above, lady mira nocturne watched the crowds through crimson-tinted glasses. half vampire, half elf, she managed the betting ledgers with daniel's assistance, each coin tracked through blood-bound sigils.
music swelled. laora machiavelli performed on her alchemical harp, each note releasing faint wisps of potion scent — sweet mint for calm, citrus for courage.the audience sighed as light and fragrance danced together.
2 – an unwelcome guest
during the fourth bout, a noble heir challenged kain's apprentice to a "friendly" duel. the air changed - too cold, too still.acheron's violet eye glowed. "this one's shadow doesn't move with him."
before kain could speak, the noble lunged - and his shadow detached, striking faster than his blade. black glass cracked along the arena floor.
"mirror possession!" laora shouted.
selene's barrier flared. yanari dropped from the rafters, tails igniting blue. akari's kunai spun through the smoke, slicing a sigil on the attacker's chest.the body froze, convulsed, then dissolved into red mist. a shattered mirror mark glimmered on the floor.
the crowd screamed. lumiel silenced them with a gesture; elariel expanded her enchantment field, sealing off the arena."no one leaves," he ordered. "we have a contamination."
acheron knelt, fingertips tracing the remaining runes. "it's a tether," she murmured. "the mirror network is active again — and it's anchored under the academy."
kain's flame flickered silver. "then this was just a message."
3 – founding of the shadow brotherhood
later that night, the family gathered in after life's war-room — a chamber lit by crystal lamps and swirling astral maps.
daniel placed a mirror shard on the table. mira flinched; the shard pulsed faintly with heartbeat light."these things are alive," she whispered.
"they're listening," acheron said. "the market uses them to trade souls."
lumiel exhaled slowly. "then we need something stronger than a guild. something unseen."
kain's silver flame rose, forming a circle of light on the floor. its reflection appeared darker - a perfect black twin.
"a brotherhood," he said. "shadow to shield the world from shadow."
each sibling stepped forward - lumiel, daniel, laora — and their wives joined beside them.acheron placed her hand over kain's: her crimson-white aura merged with his silver fire, forming a sigil of twin dragon wings around the tree of nihility.
"from this night forward," kain declared, "we are the shadow brotherhood.unseen, unbroken, the flame and glass between worlds."
the mark burned onto each palm, glowing black and silver before fading.outside, thunder rolled — not storm, but resonance.the aeon ix had witnessed their vow.
4 – the new war
by dawn, word of the "mirror incident" spread across eryndor.the academy denied involvement, but rumors whispered of nobles who traded lifespans for power.acheron's foresight glimpsed flashes — red eclipses, shattered towers, and a man cloaked in obsidian blood.
selene joined them on the balcony as the first sunray pierced the fog."what happens now?"
kain looked down at his palm where the sigil faintly glowed. "now we hunt the shadow market."
acheron's eyes reflected the sunrise. "and we make sure no one ever sells a soul again."
[status update]
name: kain machiavelli
race: half aeon • half blood dragon
level: 17 exp: 1 040 / 1 300
tree rank: geburah (5th sphere)
guiding aeon: ix – aeon of nihility
unique skill: shadow nihility flame lv 5
organization founded: the shadow brotherhood
bonds updated: acheron (16 %) • lumiel & wives (allied seal) • daniel & mira (allied seal)
objective: trace the mirror network beneath the academy and expose the shadow market's true master.
end of chapter 13 – whispers of the market